Flexible bucket tooth connection



Sept- 22, 1936- c. F. swlGERT, .11R 2,055,265

FLEXIBLE BUCKET TOOTH CONNECTION Filed Oct. 28, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 22, 1936. c. F. SWIGERT. .JR

FLEXIBLE BUCKET TOOTH CONNECTION Filed Oct. 28, 1935 Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNi'rED STATES PATENT OFFICE Charles F. Swlgert, Jr.,

Portland, Oreg., assignor to Electric Steel Foundry Company, Portland,

Orez.

Application October 28. 1935, Serial No. 47,051

3 Claims.

This. invention relates generally to excavating machinery and particularly to a flexible bucket tooth connection.

The main object of this invention is the reduction in the amount of breakage which ordinarily occurs when a solid shank is employed.

The second object is to reduce the cost of replacing a casting in case the tooth point should become broken or worn away. l

The third object is the construction of a tooth connection in which the shank and tooth are separate pieces and the part which requires replacement, namely, the point, is relatively small; thereby securing a considerable saving in transportation.

The fourth object is to eliminate the tendency for the securing wedge to loosen under digging strains which, if transmitted through a solid shank, exert a continual vertical pressure against the side of the wedge. With a flexible shank these strains are absorbed at the exible connection and no vertical pressure is applied to the wedge.

The fifth object is the construction of a tooth 25 point in which the shape is such as to insure a more uniform and dense structure in the casting than is possible with the old style of heavy solid shank.

The sixth object is to improve the point itself by eliminating a heavy portion of the metal and making it possible to keep the metal section quite uniform. When the metal section is not uniform, some of the parts retain their heat and plastic condition long after thinner parts have become solidified, causing cracks and .soit spots to occur.

The seventh object is to so construct the tooth that absolute precision is not necessary between the cored recess and the inserted parts in order to secure a proper assembly of the parts.

The eighth object is to so construct the tooth that the stress on the support for the tooth point is entirely in tension without any bending, thereby making it possible to make a lighter metal section than would be necessary where bending stress must be provided for.

These, and other objects, will become more apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a tooth and support taken along the line l--i in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 in F18. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a point holder.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the flexible tooth point shank.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a tooth point shank placed in position for insertion into the tooth point which is shown in cross section.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the tooth point shank partly inserted into the tooth point.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the tooth point shank fully inserted into the tooth point.

Fig. 8 is a section showing the tooth point shank being inserted into the point holder.

Fig. 9 is a section taken along the line 9-9 in Fig. 1.

Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a point holder Ill which is formed on the bucket lip H and has projecting from the holder I0 the spaced parallel arms l2 which terminate in the rounded arms I3. The edges Il of the arms I2 are somewhat narrower than the thickness of the arms I2 and are provided with the shoulders I5. Extending through the point holder l0 is an opening It which intersects the cored recess Il which forms a continuation of the space between the arms i2.

It is desirable to taper the opening i6 to receive the wedge i8 whose point i9 is slit to permit the spreading thereof for retaining purposes.

It is also desirable to flare the end 20 of the opening I6, within which flared portion 20 the parts of the point I9 can be spread.

Referring particularly to the point 2l itself. this may assume any external shape, but in the form illustrated the face 22 is in parallelism with the face 23 of the holder lil and the face 24 is tangent to the curved side 25 of the holder l0. The point 2l is provided with a central recess '26 and the end walls 21 thereof are provided with the cut out portions 28, which receive the outer portions 29 of the arms l2. Within the recess 2B is disposed a web 30 whose outer end 3i is rounded. The web 30 is provided with an opening 32 near the end 33 o the recess 26.

Referring particularly to the tooth point shank 34, same will be seen to consist of an elongated forked bar whose ends 35 have inturned lugs 36 formed thereon, which lugs 36 are inclined on the outer sides 31 to facilitate their reception of the web 30 when the parts are brought together.

The operation of the device is as follows:

In assembling the tooth point Shank 3l upon the point 2l the parts are brought into the relation shown in Fig. and the shank Slt is forced toward the recess 26. causing the ends 85 to senarate and finally to latch into the opening @t as shown in Fig. t. There is a sumclent spring in the shank 36 to permit this action.

When amembling the tooth point 2i with its at tached shank 8f3 won the tooth holder iii. it is only necessary to insert the shank 34 into the recess Il and then drive the wedge It into place and spread the points I9 as shown in Fig. l.

It will be understood that the shank St is very loose within the recess Il and that when the wedge i8 is in place the shank 84 is only in tension and that the interior walls 38 of the point 2i bear securely against the edges i4 of the arms i2 of the holder it.

The flexible connection between the point i9 and the shank u permits this bearing to be taken up evenly on the bearing surfaces of both of the arms I2, even though these arms are not in exact relationship with the recess il. When a solid shank is used the point I9 can be drawn up on the holder ill in an axial line only, and if one arm l2 is slightly forward of the other, contact will be taken by this arm only, thus subjecting the arm to excessive stresses and the shank to a severe bending.

While I have shown the wedge i8 as being driven in from'the top, it is obvious that it could be driven in from the side without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is also obvious that this improved point could be used in connection with adaptors such as are now on the market.

While this point and its fastening have been referred to as a bucket tooth connection, it must be understood that it is equally adaptable to all sorts of excavating, road servicing, and agricultural machines, such as subsoilers, ploughs, scariiiers, dipper type of buckets, drag line buckets, Scrapers, etc.

lt will be noted that when the tooth point Se is forced into position Within the point 2i, it takes a permanent set in a slightly spread position although it does have cient spring to latch the inturned lugs il@ into the opening E322. However, when the tooth point shank Se is inIl serted into the recess il, the ends t5 engage the sides at of the recess il and the lugs t@ are iord together thereby. positively insuring against any uniatching between the tooth point .l i Il and the point 2i.

I claim:

1. A bucket tooth point having a recess in one end thereof and havingr a perforated web within said recess and a forked shank for said point hav ing inturned ends adapted to latch in the periorations of said web for the purpose of forming a loose connection between said point and shank.

2. A bucket tooth point having a recess formed at one end thereof. two sides of which converge and having a web formed between said converging sides, said web having an opening through the inner end thereof, a forked shank for said tooth having the open ends thereof inturned, said forked shank being capable of opening sutil; ciently to permit said web to pass between said inturned ends and to latch within the opening.

formed within said web.

3. In a bucket tooth of the class described a point having a tapering recess and having a web between the tapering sides oi said recess provided with an opening through the inner end of the web and an elongated forked shank having inturned latching ends at the open end thereof adapted to receive said web between same when said shank is forced into said point and to latch said inturned ends into said web opening for the purpose of forming a hinged ioint between said shank and joint.

CHARLES F. SWIGERT, Jn. 

